Daksh Gupta, the Indian-origin CEO of AI startup Greptile, has been at the centre of a controversy surrounding his company's demanding work culture. Last month, Mr Gupta sparked a debate on social media after revealing that his company expects employees to work 84-hour weeks with "no work-life balance". His post on X detailed the company's intense work culture, including 9 AM to 11 PM workdays, six days a week. He claimed that transparency about the company's expectations helped identify candidates willing to work long hours.
However, his post received widespread criticism, with many accusing him of promoting an unsustainable and unhealthy work environment. The backlash was so severe that Mr Gupta claimed he received death threats, although he also stated that he received a large number of job applications from people interested in working at Greptile.
The CEO has now defended his stance in an interview, linking the intensity of his company's work culture to a "rocket launch".
"It's a rocket launch in some ways. And when you have two groups of smart people that are trying to solve the same problem, the one that works harder and is luckier wins. And you can't control your luck, but you can control how much time you put in," he said in an interview with NBC Bay Area on Tuesday. "
Other CEOs have criticised startups like Greptile for taking the concept of hard work too far. Kristy Kim, CEO of TomoCredit, expressed concern that some companies prioritise work above all else. Ms Kim emphasised that it's possible to work hard and achieve success without sacrificing one's personal life. She cautioned that allowing work to consume one's entire life can lead to burnout.
Responding to the backlash, Mr Gupta acknowledged that prioritising work-life balance makes sense for other companies. However, he stressed that Greptile's tough approach may not be for everyone, but it's the right fit for his company.
"If you care about work-life balance, I think that's great. There's plenty of places that operate that way and they're very successful," he said.
Earlier, he also addressed critics who suggested his demanding work culture was influenced by his Indian background. Mr Gupta clarified that his management style is primarily shaped by his experience in San Francisco's fast-paced startup environment, rather than any cultural factors. This is NOT meant to be prescriptive. Many other startups started the way we are starting," he added.
